Masking frame



Jan. 17, 1961 v H. WESTENDORP 2,968,215

MASKING FRAME Filed sept. 1a, 1957 HANS WESTENDORP diff/g fla/Q4 A,

A TTORNEY United States Patent O MASKING FRAME Hans Westendorp, Opladen,Germany, assigner to Agfa aktiengesellschaf't, Leverkusen, Germany, acorporation of Germany Filed Sept. 18, 1957, Ser. No. 684,787 Claimspriority, application Germany Sept. 29, 1956 8 Claims. (Cl. 88-24) Thisinvention relates to a masking frame which is adapted to pivot about ahorizontal axis on to a papersupporting plate fixed to a base plate, andhas for its object automatically to align photographic paper of anytolerance in the frame and to provide it on all four sides with whitemargins of exactly the same width, whereby subsequent trimming of theprints is unnecessary.

This object is achieved according to the invention by equipping theframe with two separate angle masks which co-operate to form afour-sided mask, one angle mask being fixed and the other beingresiliently fixed to the frame so as to be horizontally movable, and therigidly fixed mask being adapted to co-operate with fixed stops, whilethe movable angle mask is constructed as a resilient movable angle stopfor the paper. The movable angle mask can be constructed in the `form oftwo separate striplike masking pieces arranged at right-angles to oneanother, each masking piece being provided with a paper stop.

The masking of the margins on four sides is therefore effected by twoseparate angle masks, one of which is xed and the other movable, or byone fixed angle mask and two resiliently movable individual maskingpieces, the resiliently movable angle mask or separate masking piecesadapting themselves to the outside dimensions of the sheet of paper. Inone embodiment of the invention, the movable angle mask is provided withhinged strips, angle springs being supported .on the inside of thestrips and of the angle mask. Provided on the base plate are projectionswhich urge the hinged strips against the angle springs when the frame isswung into the closed position, so that the movable angle mask or theseparate masking pieces are moved in a horizontal plane in a directiontowards the fixed and therefore immovable stops on the paper-supportingplate. The movable angle mask is provided with setting bars which bringthe paper sheet into engagement with the fixed angle stops.

One embodiment of the invention is showndiagrammatically and by way ofexample in the drawing, Fig. 1 being a cross-section through thecassette swivelled into the open position and Fig. 2 being a plan viewof the cassette in the closed position.

In the figures, 1 represents a sheet of photographic paper, 2 apaper-supporting plate, 3 angle stops immovably arranged on the plate, 4is a pivotable frame, 5 is an angle mask rigidly fixed thereon and 6 isan angle mask arranged so as to be movably ydisplaceable thereon. Thetwo angle masks co-operate to form a four-sided mask which provides thepaper sheet 1 on its four sides with white margins of exactly the samewidth. When the frame 4 is pivoted downwardly, the surface 6a of themovable angle mask not only brings the paper sheet 1 resting on thesupporting plate 2 automatically into the correct angular position inrelation to the angle mask 6 itself, but at the same time also urges thepaper sheet against the fixed angle stops 3, against which the anglemask 5 rigidly fixed on the frame 4 also abuts, so that the sheet 1 isautomatically aligned and al1 four sides of the sheet are masked with amargin of uniform width, for example 3 mm., by the angle masks 5 and 6.

The mechanical operation is as follows:

The paper 1 to be exposed is laid on the paper-supporting plate 2 andpushed against the stops 3 fixedly mounted on the plate 2. In thisposition, the outside edges of the paper which are opposite the anglestops 3 project about l to 2 mm. beyond the paper plate 2. The frame 4carries the masks, and angle mask 5 being fixedly arranged on this frameand the resiliently displaceable angle mask 6 being suspended loosely ona support 7 which is displaceable in slots 8: this frame is then swungdownwardly about a pivot shaft 21 on to a base plate 9. During thisswinging movement of the frame 4, the sheet of paper 1, if it is notbearing exactly against the stops 3 but is at an angle to these stops,or if it has been subsequently displaced, is initially straightened bysetting bars 10 of the mask 6 and moves towards the stops 3. In themeantime, the bars 12, which are rotatably fixed on the setting bars 10of the mask 6 by means of a hinge 11, have reached projections 13arranged on the base plate 9. These projections now force the bars 12upwardly. The compression of the springs 14 caused thereby moves theangle mask 6 against the outside edges of the paper and finally shiftsthe-paper against the fixed angle stop 3. Due to the com-v pression ofthe springs 14, the paper is then in firm contact on all sides with thetwo arms of the angle mask 5 rigidly fixed on the frame 4 and of theangle mask 6 yieldably mounted on the frame 4. At the same time, theangle masks 5 and 6 mask the margins of the paper on all sides to apredetermined width, for example 3 mm., and cover these margins to auniform extent.

In order that the displacement of the paper during the swinging movementof the mask-supporting frame 4 can take place without obstruction, it isnecessary to arrange the fixed and the movable angle masks on the frame4 in such a Way that when the masking frame is completely closed, aspace of the order of the thickness of a sheet of photographic paper isleft as clearance between the angle masks 5 and 6 and the surface of thesupporting plate 2.

When the masking frame 4 is opened again after the paper has beenexposed, this movement causes the bars 12 to be released by theprojection 13 and retracted by the spring 14 into the initial position.At the same time, the springs 15 (Fig. 2) also return the resilientlymounted angle mask 6 to its initial position. A

The swinging movement -of the masking frame 4 can also be used foractuating a paper-ejecting mechanism. In the drawing, the band loop 16rotatably mounted at one end on the frame 4 is moved, for example duringthe ,closing movement, to a position above a verticallyV projectingleaf-spring 17 only the base of'which is con'' nected by means of ascrew 20 to the plate 2 and, on completion of this movement, the loopfalls over the upper end of the leaf-spring 17. The loop 16 remains inthis position. When the masking frame 4 is swung upwardly again afterthe exposure, the loop 16 bends the leaf-spring 17 back and, in acontinuation of this movement, slips up over the free end of theleaf-spring. In this way, it releases the leaf-spring 17 and allows itto move quickly against the outside edge of the paper 1. By this means,the paper is quickly displaced from the supporting plate 2, while theloop 16 returns to its initial position, i.e. it again bears on theprojection 18, over which it slides with the next closing movement untilit drops through the opening 19 and over the leaf-spring 17.

I claim:

1. A masking device comprising means defining a paper supportingsurface, a masking frame movable in and out of masking contact with apaper supported on said surface, paper guide means positioned forguiding abutment with two adjacent edges of a paper positioned on saidpaper supporting surface, said masking frame having two adjacent fixedmasking sides positioned to overlap the edges of a paper abutting saidguide means a predetermined distance when said masking frame is inmasking engagement, the two other adjacent sides of said masking framedefining masking edges movable toward and away from the opposing maskingsides, stop means connected to each of said masking edges at apredetermined distance from the inner terminal edge thereof forengagement with the edges of a paper maintained on said support surfacewhen said frame is in masking engagement and means for resilientlyforcing safd edges and stops toward the opposite sides of said framewhen said mask is moved into masking engagement and when said stops arein position for engagement with the edges of a paper on said surface,whereby when said masking frame is moved to said masking engagementposition with a piece of paper on said surface, said stop'means engagethe edges of said paper forcing the same in abutment with said guidemeans automatically correctly positioning said paper and said maskingframe with respect to each other.

2. A masking device comprising a paper supporting surface, a maskingframe pivotally secured about a horizontal axis onto said supportingsurface and capable of being pivoted from an open to a closed positionwith respect to said paper supporting surface, a fixed angle maskdisposed on said masking frame and rigidly secured thereto, anadjustable angle mask disposed on said masking frame opposite said fixedangle mask, sad adjustable angle mask being capable of limited inwardand outward resilient horizontal travel on said masking frame withrespect to said opposite fixed angle mask whereby to form a four-sidedself-adjusting mask, rigid paper stops for guiding abutment with twoadjacent edges of paper positioned on said paper supporting surface,said stops being positioned along the sides upon which said fixed anglemask is seated and spaced from the inner edges of said fixed angle maskwhen said masking frame is in closed position, resilient paper stopspositioned along said adjustable angle mask a fixed distance from theinner edges of said adjustable angle mask, said resilient stops beingcapable of inward and outward resilient movement in cooperation withsaid adjustable angle mask with respect to the opposite fixed angle maskwhen said masking frame is in closed position.

3. A masking device as in claim 2 wherein the adjustable angle mask isconstructed of two separate masking strips, each said strip beingprovided therealong with a resilient paper stop, and outwardly biasingspring means.

4. A masking device as in claim 2 wherein the adjustable angle mask isprovided thereunder with hinged strip means connected therealong, andspaced from said resilient stops, spring means therein acting againstsaid hinged strip means and against said resilient stops, whereby inwardmovement of said hinged strip means forces said spring means againstsaid stops and causes said stops to travel inwardly toward the oppositerigid paper stops.

5. A masking device as in claim 3, wherein upward projection means aresecured on said paper supporting surface and in line with said hingedstrip means, whereby said hinged strip means may be urged against saidspring means by said upward projection means when said masking frame isin closed position, and said spring means may be forced againstresilient stops to move said stops inwardly toward the oppositely facingrigid paper stops.

6. A masking device as in claim 2 wherein downwardly and outwardlyextending setting bars are provided below said resilient stops andconnected therealong whereby to contact the corresponding edges of asheet of paper situated on said paper supporting surface and guide saidsheet into abutment with the opposite rigid paper stops as the maskingframe is placed in closed position over said paper supporting surface.

7. A masking device as in claim 2 wherein the fixed and adjustable anglemasks are disposed on the masking frame through a plane which is spacedfrom said paper supporting surface when the masking frame is in closedposition at least a distance corresponding to the thickness of a sheetof photographic paper.

8. A masking device as in clam 2 wherein a partially pivotable band loopis pivotally disposed on one side of the masking frame adjacent andparallel to the horizontal axis about which said frame pivots, and anupstanding leafspring is secured to the corresponding end of the papersupporting surface, said end being spaced a limited distance from thecorresponding rigid stop, said band loop being capable of engaging saidleaf-spring as said masking frame is moved to a partially openedposition, and of disengaging said leaf-spring as said masking frame isfurther opened, whereby said leaf-spring may strike against one edge ofa paper sheet located along the corresponding edge of said rigid stopand spaced from said paper supporting surface end, so as to eject saidpaper sheet.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,811,123 Glaser June 23, 1931 2,250,309 Lary July 22, 1941 2,651,244Ferguson Sept. 8, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 555,232. Germany July 20, 1932565,015 Germany Nov. 25, 1932 820,375 Germany Nov. 8, 1951

